diff --git a/llama_toolchain/safety/api/api.py b/llama_toolchain/safety/api/api.py
index 96682d172..631cfa992 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/safety/api/api.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/safety/api/api.py
@@ -86,5 +86,6 @@ class Safety(Protocol):
     @webmethod(route="/safety/run_shields")
     async def run_shields(
         self,
-        request: RunShieldRequest,
+        messages: List[Message],
+        shields: List[ShieldDefinition],
     ) -> RunShieldResponse: ...
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/safety/client.py b/llama_toolchain/safety/client.py
index 0cf7deae8..26a9813b3 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/safety/client.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/safety/client.py
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ import fire
 import httpx
 
 from llama_models.llama3.api.datatypes import UserMessage
-from pydantic import BaseModel
-from termcolor import cprint
 
 from llama_toolchain.core.datatypes import RemoteProviderConfig
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+from termcolor import cprint
 
 from .api import *  # noqa: F403
 
@@ -43,9 +43,7 @@ class SafetyClient(Safety):
         async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client:
             response = await client.post(
                 f"{self.base_url}/safety/run_shields",
-                json={
-                    "request": encodable_dict(request),
-                },
+                json=encodable_dict(request),
                 headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
                 timeout=20,
             )
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/safety/meta_reference/safety.py b/llama_toolchain/safety/meta_reference/safety.py
index e71ac09a2..6c75e74e8 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/safety/meta_reference/safety.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/safety/meta_reference/safety.py
@@ -52,13 +52,12 @@ class MetaReferenceSafetyImpl(Safety):
 
     async def run_shields(
         self,
-        request: RunShieldRequest,
+        messages: List[Message],
+        shields: List[ShieldDefinition],
     ) -> RunShieldResponse:
-        shields = [shield_config_to_shield(c, self.config) for c in request.shields]
+        shields = [shield_config_to_shield(c, self.config) for c in shields]
 
-        responses = await asyncio.gather(
-            *[shield.run(request.messages) for shield in shields]
-        )
+        responses = await asyncio.gather(*[shield.run(messages) for shield in shields])
 
         return RunShieldResponse(responses=responses)